How to Pick the Best Esthetician Course Near Lansing Michigan
Now that you have made a decision to enter the field of cosmetology and attend an esthetician school near Lansing MI, the task starts to find and enroll in the right program. It's imperative that the program you pick not only provides the necessary training for the specialty you have chosen, but also preps you for passing the licensing examination. When you start your initial search, you may be rather confused about the distinction between beauty schools and cosmetology schools. Well don't be, because the titles are essentially interchangeable and both refer to the same type of school. If you anticipate commuting to classes you will want to locate a school that is within driving distance of your Lansing residence. Tuition will also be an important aspect when reviewing possible schools. Just remember that because a school is the closest or the cheapest it's not always the best option. There are a number of other factors that you should weigh when comparing schools, for example their reputation and accreditation. We will go over what questions you should ask about the aesthetician schools you are considering later in this article. Before we do, let's talk a bit about what types of training programs are offered.
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Esthetics Training Programs
Esthetics school is an investment of time, energy, and money. Requirements vary from state to state, but the majority of states require that you complete at least 600 hours of training. Full-time school can take an average of six months to complete, and part-time school can take anywhere from 9-12 months. The primary purpose of esthetics school is to get you ready to pass the state licensing exam. They also teach basic skills that you will need to perfect through experience and sometimes additional classes, such as giving facials, body treatments, and performing waxing. More advanced training includes learning to work with machines, such as IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and Lasers used to rejuvenate the skin and permanently remove hair.
Esthetician Job Description
Estheticians provide a wide range of beauty services to help their Lansing Michigan clients look and feel better. This includes improving the quality of the skin (including the treatment of skin disorders), hair removal, permanent makeup application, and facial massage. Some types of estheticians, like medical estheticians, provide highly specialized procedures that require detailed training in order for it to be done safely and effectively. Medical estheticians can help individuals suffering from serious skin disorders, burns, and other trauma, and to help with pre and post-operative surgery affecting the health of their skin. Estheticians work closely with their clients in a friendly and positive manner, so an enthusiastic attitude and desire to help people is an excellent attribute for an aspiring esthetician to possess. Some of the basic duties an esthetician may perform will include such tasks as:
- Assessing a patient’s needs
- Chemical peels
- Laser treatments
- Waxing
- Facials
- Massage of the head and neck
- Microdermabrasion
Online Esthetics Training
Online esthetician schools are accommodating for Lansing MI students who are working full time and have family obligations that make it hard to attend a more traditional school. There are many web-based cosmetology school programs available that can be attended by means of a personal computer or laptop at the student's convenience. More traditional cosmetology schools are often fast paced since many courses are as brief as 6 or 8 months. This means that a considerable amount of time is spent in the classroom. With online courses, you are dealing with the same volume of material, but you're not spending many hours outside of your home or commuting to and from classes. However, it's imperative that the program you pick can provide internship training in nearby salons and parlors so that you also obtain the hands-on training needed for a comprehensive education. Without the internship part of the training, it's impossible to gain the skills required to work in any facet of the cosmetology profession. So don't forget if you choose to enroll in an online program to confirm that internship training is provided in your area.
Questions to Ask Aesthetician Training Classes
Following is a series of questions that you need to investigate for any esthetician training school you are considering. As we have already covered, the location of the school relative to your Lansing residence, in addition to the cost of tuition, will undoubtedly be your primary qualifiers. Whether you want to earn a certificate, diploma or a degree will no doubt be next on your list. But once you have narrowed your school choices based on those preliminary qualifications, there are even more factors that you need to research and take into consideration before enrolling in a cosmetology school. Following we have put together several of those additional questions that you need to ask each school before making a final decision.
Is the Esthetician Program Accredited? It's important to make certain that the esthetician college you enroll in is accredited. The accreditation should be by a U.S. Department of Education recognized local or national organization, such as the National Accrediting Commission for Cosmetology Arts & Sciences (NACCAS). Schools accredited by the NACCAS must comply with their high standards ensuring a quality curriculum and education. Accreditation can also be essential for obtaining student loans or financial aid, which often are not available for non- accredited schools. It's also a prerequisite for licensing in many states that the training be accredited. And as a final benefit, a number of Lansing MI employers will not hire recent graduates of non-accredited schools, or might look more favorably upon those with accredited training.
Does the School have an Excellent Reputation? Each esthetician school that you are seriously considering should have a good to excellent reputation within the profession. Being accredited is a good starting point. Next, ask the schools for endorsements from their network of businesses where they have placed their students. Confirm that the schools have high job placement rates, attesting that their students are highly regarded. Visit rating services for reviews as well as the school's accrediting agencies. If you have any relationships with Lansing MI salon owners or managers, or any person working in the field, ask them if they are familiar with the schools you are looking at. They might even be able to suggest others that you had not looked into. And finally, contact the Michigan school licensing authority to find out if there have been any complaints submitted or if the schools are in full compliance.
What’s the School’s Focus? Many esthetician schools offer programs that are comprehensive in nature, concentrating on all facets of cosmetology. Others are more focused, offering training in a specific specialty, such as hairstyling, manicuring or electrolysis. Schools that offer degree programs commonly broaden into a management and marketing curriculum. So it's essential that you pick a school that specializes in your area of interest. Since your goal is to be trained as an esthetician, make certain that the school you enroll in is accredited and well regarded for that program. If your dream is to open a Lansing MI beauty salon, then you need to enroll in a degree program that will teach you how to be an owner/operator as well. Choosing a highly regarded school with a weak program in the specialty you are pursuing will not provide the training you need.
Is Any Hands-On Training Provided? Studying and refining esthetician skills and techniques requires plenty of practice on people. Check how much live, hands-on training is provided in the cosmetology classes you will be attending. A number of schools have salons on campus that make it possible for students to practice their growing skills on volunteers. If a beauty program offers little or no scheduled live training, but rather relies mainly on utilizing mannequins, it might not be the most effective option for acquiring your skills. So look for other schools that offer this type of training.
Does the School have a Job Placement Program? As soon as a student graduates from an esthetician academy, it's important that she or he gets help in landing that very first job. Job placement programs are an integral part of that process. Schools that offer help develop relationships with Lansing MI employers that are seeking trained graduates available for hiring. Verify that the programs you are contemplating have job placement programs and ask which salons and establishments they refer students to. In addition, find out what their job placement rates are. High rates not only affirm that they have broad networks of employers, but that their programs are highly regarded as well.
Is Financial Aid Offered? Almost all esthetician schools offer financial aid or student loan assistance for their students. Ask if the schools you are looking at have a financial aid office. Consult with a counselor and identify what student loans or grants you may qualify for. If the school belongs to the American Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS), it will have scholarships offered to students too. If a school meets each of your other qualifications with the exception of expense, do not drop it as an option before you determine what financial help may be provided.
Learn How to Become an Aesthetician in Lansing
Enroll in the Right Lansing Esthetician Program
Selecting and enrolling in the right esthetician college is essential to get the necessary training to become a licensed cosmetology specialist. Be sure to ask all the questions that you require so as to feel certain about your decision. Don't forget to collect all of the responses you receive from the beauty school admissions departments, focus on what matters the most to you, and then employ that data to compare schools. A sensible start in your due diligence procedure is to make sure that the school and program you pick are accredited and have impressive reputations within the field. If you begin with that foundation, and address the additional questions provided in this post, you will be able to narrow down your list of schools so that you can make the right choice. And when you graduate and pass your licensing exam, you will be confident that you are qualified to launch your new career as a professional esthetician in Lansing Michigan.